Poly is a very versatile prefix: prefix poly to nomial and the resuling word becomes a dense mathematical entity called polynomial; prefix it to bags and the resulting juxtaposition of the words becomes an environmentally incorrect baggage called polybag.

Polymath is slowly shedding the label of being ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ and is becoming more acceptable, even cool. It is now being advocated that a polymath may really be a great asset to an organization or to a business. In fact, Kyle Wein extols the virtue of polymaths in his HBR blog In Defense of Polymath.